Michigan LLC Forms, Fees and Filing Requirements

Different types of businesses have different requirements in Michigan, including related fees and costs. Your MI LLC needs to pay various fees to the federal government, Michigan government and other agencies. Some of these fees are levied by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs or statewide organizations, while others come from the federal government. On this page, we’ve summarized the most common fees and requirements. 

Note that Michigan business licenses and permits might need to be paid when you first form your business, on an ongoing schedule or on an ad hoc basis. 

Costs to File an LLC in Michigan 

When you first incorporate your business in Michigan, you’ll need to file an LLC with the MI Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and pay a Michigan filing fee. Here are the current fees and filing times for Michigan:

When you form your MI LLC through Incfile, we automatically forward this fee to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs when we file your incorporation paperwork. 

Some states allow you to form your LLC more quickly by paying a rush fee. You can compare state filing times and fees here, including expedited fees for Michigan.

Incorporate your Michigan LLC through Incfile today

Getting an EIN/Tax ID for Your Michigan LLC

Every Michigan LLC should have a unique employer identification number (EIN). These are provided by the Internal Revenue Service, and you use them when filing taxes, opening a business bank account and paying employees. You can get one yourself at no cost from the IRS or have Incfile obtain one on your behalf.

Get an EIN for your Michigan LLC through Incfile

Certificate of Authority to Operate Outside Michigan

If you’re expanding your Michigan LLC beyond the borders of the state, you will need a Foreign Qualification or Certificate of Authority to operate in another state. These are typically necessary if you have a physical presence, employees or banking in a different state than Michigan. Fees and requirements for foreign qualifications depend on each state’s rules. Incfile provides a complete Foreign Qualification service for any state.

Get a Foreign Qualification/Certificate of Authority through Incfile

Annual Reporting and Fees for Michigan LLCs

Most states need you to file an annual (or other periodic) report with their Secretary of State. When you file your MI LLC Annual Report, you may need to pay a fee. Here are the annual filing requirements for Michigan: 

Learn about your ongoing Michigan LLC filing requirements and business filing deadlines with our helpful Michigan ongoing filing lookup tool.

Incfile can also complete and file your Michigan Annual Report on your behalf.

Incfile’s Michigan Annual Report filing service

How to Get a Business License in Michigan 

Some MI LLCs will need certain business licenses and permits from federal, state and regional organizations. These permits and licenses will have associated fees that you should pay on a one-off or regular basis. 

Permits and licenses vary based on:

• The industry your Michigan LLC operates in (e.g., restaurants will need health permits)

• The location of your Michigan LLC (state, county or city) (e.g., a license to conduct business from the city of Detroit)

• The type of business that you run (e.g., healthcare providers must meet HIPAA requirements)

You can research these permits and licenses yourself or use Incfile’s Business License Research Package, which includes:

• A complete report on all the licenses, permits and tax registrations your Michigan LLC will need

• The application forms you will need to file with the state, regional and federal licensing authorities

Remember that operating your business without the required licenses can expose you to risks and fines from federal, state and local governments.

Incfile’s Michigan Business License Research Package

Operating Agreements for Michigan LLCs

An Operating Agreement is a business document that covers how the business will be run, how managers and members are chosen, rights and duties of members and several other key areas.

An Operating Agreement is extremely useful for several reasons (learn about them here). If you’re interested in having your Operating Agreement created for you, Incfile can draft a general Operating Agreement template when you choose to form your Michigan business. You can choose to make changes to the template based on your unique requirements. 

Ad Hoc Fees or Requirements for Michigan LLCs 

There are several other fees or requirements that you may need to meet during the life of your Michigan LLC. These ad hoc fees will only be payable in specific circumstances, which we’ve listed below.

To Obtain a Fictitious/DBA Name in Michigan

If you want your MI business to trade under a different name, you can file a form with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. You will need to pay a Michigan filing fee. Incfile can file this form on your behalf.

Incfile’s Michigan Fictitious Name service

To Change the Michigan Resident Agent 

Your Michigan LLC needs a Registered Agent, which must be appointed when you first incorporate your LLC. You can also switch to a new MI Registered Agent later. Incfile provides a complete Michigan Registered Agent service.

Incfile’s Michigan Registered Agent service

To Reserve a Name for Your Michigan LLC

If you don’t want to form your MI business right away, you can reserve a name with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. You will need to pay a small fee to do this.

To Amend Certain Facts About Your Michigan LLC

Your business formation documents state certain facts about your Michigan business when it was originally formed. Over time, these facts might change — if they do, you need to file “Articles of Amendment” with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. You can do this yourself or have Incfile complete the filing on your behalf.

Areas you might want to file Michigan Articles of Amendment for include:

• Adding, removing or changing a Michigan LLC member or manager

• Changing the business address of your LLC

• Altering the stated business activities of your Michigan LLC

Incfile’s Michigan Articles of Amendment service

To Get a Certificate of Good Standing for Your Michigan LLC

Some organizations will request that you prove your Michigan LLC’s compliance with laws and tax requirements. If you need to prove you have met your commitments, you will need a “Certificate of Good Standing” from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Incfile can obtain a certificate on your behalf.

Incfile’s Michigan Certificate of Good Standing service

The fees listed above detail all the charges that a standard MI LLC will be required to pay. In some unusual circumstances, there may be other one-off, periodic or ad hoc fees not listed above. 

Of course, your Michigan LLC will also probably need to pay self-employment, payroll, federal, state and sales taxes, but we will cover that when we talk about taxes for MI LLCs.

FAQs About Michigan LLC Fees

What Happens to the State Fees I Am Charged When Forming My Michigan LLC?

We charge you for this fee at cost and then pay the fee to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs on your behalf when forming your Michigan business. 

Do I Need to Pay an Annual Report Fee Every Year?

Usually, yes. Most states require you to file a report for your LLC every year. Some states require filing biennially (every other year), though a handful don’t require Annual Reports. You can find out more on the compliance page for your state.

Who Will I Need to Get Business Licenses and Permits From for My Michigan LLC?

It depends on various factors including:

• The type of business you run

• Where you are located

• Governing organizations in your industry

• Federal, state and local regulations

That’s why our Business License Research Package is so useful. It explores all of these areas for you and provides a comprehensive overview of exactly what your Michigan LLC needs to be compliant.